Shoe with shoe lace device that facilitates tightening and loosening of the shoe

ABSTRACT

A shoe includes a shoe body and a shoe lace device. The shoe body includes a pair of eyelet tabs respectively formed with a plurality of eyelets that are spaced apart from each other in a first direction. The shoe lace device includes a shoe lace unit with two lace ends, and a connecting member having an elongate base body that extends in a second direction transverse to the first direction and that includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface in a third direction transverse to the first and second directions, and a plurality of anchoring elements that are provided on the first surface of the base body and that are spaced apart from each other in the second direction. The lace ends of the shoe lace unit are anchored selectively on the anchoring elements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to a shoe, more particularly to a shoe with a shoe lace device that facilitates tightening and loosening of the shoe.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] A conventional shoe includes a shoe body with a top opening, and a shoe lace. The shoe body includes a vamp, a tongue, and a pair of eyelet tabs. The tongue has a front portion connected to the vamp and a rear portion extending to the top opening. The tongue further has an opposite pair of lateral sides that extend from the vamp to the top opening. Each of the eyelet tabs is connected to the vamp and is disposed adjacent to one of the lateral sides of the tongue. Each of the eyelet tabs is formed with a plurality of eyelets that are aligned with each other in a direction from the front portion of the tongue to the top opening. The shoe lace is strung through the eyelets to form a criss-cross pattern on the eyelet tabs, and has distal end portions that can be tied together so as to form a knot in order to tighten the shoe.

[0005] Since the conventional shoe is devoid of an adjustable function for the shoe lace, various problems will arise for different foot sizes. For the wearer having smaller sized feet, the distal end portions of the shoe lace may be too long after the shoe lace is strung through the eyelets. On the other hand, for the wearer having larger sized feet, the length of the shoe lace may not be sufficient for stringing through all of the eyelets and for forming a proper knot.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,640 discloses a quick adjusting shoe lace system for adjusting shoe lace tension in a single movement. Referring in FIG. 1, the shoe lace system disclosed in this U.S. patent includes a cinch plate 3 having eyelets 301 which are spaced apart by about the same distance as eyelets 201 formed in the eyelet tabs of the shoe 2. The shoe lace 1 is strung through the eyelets 301 in the cinch plate 3 and the eyelets 201 in the eyelet tabs of the shoe 2. A strap 4, fixably attached at a lower end to the shoe 2 and loopable at an upper end through a slot in the cinch plate 3, is used to adjustably pull the cinch plate 3 and the shoe lace 1 looped through the eyelets 301 downwardly and thus increase the shoe lace tension. Although the shoe lace system disclosed in this U.S. patent has the effect of quick shoe lace tension adjustment, it is more suited for tightening the shoe 2. When the strap 4 is loosened to its maximum limit, the shoe lace with a fixed length can not be extended to loosen the shoe 2 further. Therefore, the utility of the shoe lace system disclosed in this U.S. patent is limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a shoe with a shoe lace device that facilitates tightening and loosening of the shoe.

[0008] According to this invention, a shoe includes a shoe body and a shoe lace device. The shoe body includes a pair of eyelet tabs, each of which is formed with a plurality of eyelets that are spaced apart from each other in a first direction. The shoe lace device includes a shoe lace unit and a connecting member. The shoe lace unit is strung through the eyelets to form a criss-cross pattern on the eyelet tabs, and has a pair of lace ends. The connecting member is disposed between the eyelet tabs, and has an elongate base body that extends in a second direction transverse to the first direction and that includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface in a third direction transverse to the first and second directions, and a plurality of anchoring elements that are provided on the first surface of the base body and that are spaced apart from each other in the second direction. The lace ends of the shoe lace unit are anchored selectively on the anchoring elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

[0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional shoe;

[0011]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a shoe lace device of a shoe according to this invention;

[0012]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the shoe according to this invention, in which the connecting member is disposed between two eyelets proximate to a front portion of a tongue of the shoe body;

[0013]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the shoe lace device of the shoe according to this invention, in which knots on a pair of lace ends are anchored on two anchoring elements distal from each other;

[0014]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the shoe lace device of the shoe according to this invention, in which the knots on the lace ends are anchored on two adjacent anchoring elements;

[0015]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the shoe according to this invention, in which the connecting member is disposed between two eyelets proximate to a top opening of the shoe body;

[0016]FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of yet another preferred embodiment of a shoe lace device of a shoe according to this invention; and

[0017]FIG. 8 is a top view of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the preferred embodiment of a shoe according to this invention is shown to comprise a shoe lace device 100 and a shoe body 200. The shoe body 200 has a top opening 210, and includes a vamp 230, a tongue 270, and a pair of eyelet tabs 220. The tongue 270 has a front portion connected to the vamp 230, and a rear portion extending to the top opening 210. The tongue 270 further has an opposite pair of lateral sides that extend from the vamp 230 to the top opening 210. Each of the eyelet tabs 220 is connected to the vamp 230 and is disposed adjacent to one of the lateral sides of the tongue 270. Each of the eyelet tabs 220 is formed with a plurality of eyelets 240 that are aligned with each other in a first direction from the front portion of the tongue 270 to the top opening 210. The shoe lace device 100 includes a shoe lace unit 10, and a connecting member 20.

[0019] The shoe lace unit 10 is strung through the eyelets 240 to form a crisscross pattern on the eyelet tabs 220, and has a pair of lace ends 11. In this embodiment, the connecting member 20 is disposed between two eyelets 240 proximate to the front portion of the tongue 270 of the shoe body 200, and has an elongate base body 21 that extends in a second direction transverse to the first direction and that includes a first surface 211 and a second surface 212 opposite to the first surface 211 in a third direction transverse to the first and second directions, and a plurality of anchoring elements 23 that are provided on the first surface 211 of the base body 21 and that are spaced apart from each other in the second direction. The lace ends 11 of the shoe lace unit 10 are anchored selectively on the anchoring elements 23.

[0020] Each of the anchoring elements 23 includes an anchoring plate 22 which projects from the first surface 211 of the base body 21 of the connecting member 20. The anchoring plate 22 is formed with an anchor hole 232 having a hole axis that is oriented in the second direction. The anchoring plate 22 further has a distal edge 233 remote from the first surface 211 of the base body 21 in the third direction and formed with a restricted insert slot 231 for access into the anchor hole 232. The connecting member 20 further includes a pair of curved walls 25, each of which extends from the base body 21 to interconnect adjacent sides of the anchoring plates 22. The connecting member 20 thus has a half-shell configuration. The second surface 212 of the base body 21 of the connecting member 20 can have a label 213 optionally provided thereon.

[0021] Each of the lace ends 11 of the shoe lace unit 10 is extendible into the anchor holes 232 of selected adjacent ones of the anchoring elements 23 via the restricted insert slots 231, and is formed with a knot 111 larger than the anchor holes 232 for anchoring removably the lace end 11 on the anchoring plate 22 of one of the anchoring elements 23.

[0022] The knot 111 on each of the lace ends 11 of the shoe lace unit 10 can be anchored on the anchoring plate 22 of one of the anchoring elements 23 selected in accordance with the feet size of the wearer. Referring to FIG. 4, the two knots 111 on the lace ends 11 of the shoe lace unit 10 are anchored on the anchoring plates 22 of two anchoring elements 23 that are distal from each other. As shown FIG. 5, the two knots 111 on the lace ends 11 of the shoe lace unit 10 can be easily adjusted so as to be anchored on the anchoring plates 22 of two adjacent anchoring elements 23 so as to further tighten the shoe.

[0023]FIG. 6 shows another preferred embodiment of the shoe according to this invention, which is a modification of the shoe disclosed in applicant's own co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Document No. 089048/0246), filed on Aug. 3, 2001, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The shoe lace unit 10 includes first and second sections 110, 120, each of which has a lower end and an upper end. The connecting member 20 of the previous embodiment is disposed between two eyelets 240 proximate to the top opening 210 of the shoe body 200 and is connected to the lower ends of the first and second sections 110, 120 of the shoe lace unit 10.

[0024]FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the shoe lace device of the shoe according to yet another preferred embodiment of this invention. Each of the anchoring elements 23′ includes a post 231′ which projects from the first surface 212′ of the base body 21′ of the connecting member 20′, and which has a tip 232′ remote from the first surface 212′ of the base body 21′ in the third direction and formed with an enlarged head. The shoe lace unit 10′ further has an anchoring segment 12′ that interconnects the lace ends and that is wound on selected ones of the anchoring elements 23′. Furthermore, the base body 21′ of the connecting member 20′ has two ends opposite to each other in the second direction. Each of the ends of the base body 21′ is formed with a lace hole 211′ that permits one of the lace ends 11′ of the shoe lace unit 10′ to pass therethrough. Similarly, the second surface 214′ of the base body 21′ of the connecting member 20 can have a label 213′ optionally provided thereon.

[0025] It has thus been shown that the shoe lace device 100 of the shoe according to this invention can be operated to adjust the tightness of the shoe body 200 by simply changing the anchoring state of the lace ends 11, 11′ of the shoe lace unit 10, 10′ on the anchoring elements 23, 23′ of the connecting member 20, 20′ as described hereinabove.

[0026] While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

I claim:
 1. A shoe, comprising: a shoe body including a pair of eyelet tabs, each of which is formed with a plurality of eyelets that are spaced apart from each other in a first direction; and a shoe lace device including a shoe lace unit strung through said eyelets to form a crisscross pattern on said eyelet tabs, said shoe lace unit having a pair of lace ends, and a connecting member disposed between said eyelet tabs, said connecting member having an elongate base body that extends in a second direction transverse to the first direction and that includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to said first surface in a third direction transverse to the first and second directions, and a plurality of anchoring elements that are provided on said first surface of said base body and that are spaced apart from each other in the second direction, said lace ends of said shoe lace unit being anchored selectively on said anchoring elements.
 2. The shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein: each of said anchoring elements includes an anchoring plate which projects from said first surface of said base body of said connecting member, said anchoring plate being formed with an anchor hole having a hole axis that is oriented in the second direction, said anchoring plate further having a distal edge remote from said first surface of said base body in the third direction and formed with a restricted insert slot for access into said anchor hole; each of said lace ends of said shoe lace unit being extendible into said anchor holes of selected adjacent ones of said anchoring elements via said restricted insert slots, and being formed with a knot larger than said anchor holes for anchoring removably said lace end on said anchoring plate of one of said anchoring elements.
 3. The shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein: each of said anchoring elements includes a post which projects from said first surface of said base body of said connecting member, and which has a tip remote from said first surface of said base body in the third direction and formed with an enlarged head; said shoe lace unit further having an anchoring segment that interconnects said lace ends and that is wound on selected ones of said anchoring elements.
 4. The shoe as claimed in claim 3, wherein said base body of said connecting member has two ends opposite to each other in the second direction, each of said ends of said base body being formed with a lace hole that permits one of said lace ends of said shoe lace unit to pass therethrough.
 5. The shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second surface of said base body of said connecting member has a label provided thereon.
 6. A shoe lace device adapted for use with a shoe body that includes a pair of eyelet tabs, each of the eyelet tabs being formed with a plurality of eyelets that are spaced apart from each other in a first direction, said shoe lace device comprising: a shoe lace unit adapted to be strung through the eyelets to form a criss-cross pattern on the eyelet tabs, said shoe lace unit having a pair of lace ends; and a connecting member adapted to be disposed between the eyelet tabs, said connecting member having an elongate base body that extends in a second direction transverse to the first direction and that includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to said first surface in a third direction transverse to the first and second directions, and a plurality of anchoring elements that are provided on said first surface of said base body and that are spaced apart from each other in the second direction, said lace ends of said shoe lace unit being anchored selectively on said anchoring elements.
 7. The shoe lace device as claimed in claim 6, wherein: each of said anchoring elements includes an anchoring plate which projects from said first surface of said base body of said connecting member, said anchoring plate being formed with an anchor hole having a hole axis that is oriented in the second direction, said anchoring plate further having a distal edge remote from said first surface of said base body in the third direction and formed with a restricted insert slot for access into said anchor hole; each of said lace ends of said shoe lace unit being extendible into said anchor holes of selected adjacent ones of said anchoring elements via said restricted insert slots, and being formed with a knot larger than said anchor holes for anchoring removably said lace end on said anchoring plate of one of said anchoring elements.
 8. The shoe lace device as claimed in claim 6, wherein: each of said anchoring elements includes a post which projects from said first surface of said base body of said connecting member, and which has a tip remote from said first surface of said base body in the third direction and formed with an enlarged head; said shoe lace unit further having an anchoring segment that interconnects said lace ends and that is wound on selected ones of said anchoring elements.
 9. The shoe lace device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said base body of said connecting member has two ends opposite to each other in the second direction, each of said ends of said base body being formed with a lace hole that permits one of said lace ends of said shoe lace unit to pass therethrough.
 10. The shoe lace device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said second surface of said base body of said connecting member has a label provided thereon. 